More and more area residents are patronizing local stores and restaurants to help keep them open as they fight for survival due to COVID-19.

Many restaurants and bars are financially hurting with a ban of dining in and upcoming cold weather, which will deter many from going out to eat in heat-filled patios.

The City of Toronto have approved the use of the patios until next Spring.

Many restaurants and bars that offer indoor dining, or drinks, will not be allowed to reopen until at least November 8 after being ordered shut for 28-days on October 10. They remain open from the sale of takeout orders only.

Indoor dining at bars and restaurants was banned province-wide when the pandemic hit in the spring, and is prohibited once more in the virus hotspots of Toronto, Peel Region, York Region and Ottawa.

The owners of the bars in Long Branch, New Toronto and Mimico say business is slow and many are not sure how long they can remain open.

There are campaigns in the area by members of the various Business Improvement Areas for residents to shop locally now than ever before as the holiday season begin, which is when most businesses make their money from gift-giving.

Many small restaurants and bars in the community are offering take- out specials (See Page 8) to attract more customers. Now is probably the best time to buy take-out meals due to price, except as restaurants seek lower commissions from food delivery services like Uber or Door Dash.

Several restaurants in the area have installed tents, or shelter, on their patios to shield people from the inclement weather and recoup some of their costs. Still some restaurant owners have suggested that winter patios are too costly to operate.

Chris Korwin-Kuczynski, chair of the board of the Lake Shore Village Business Improvement Association (BIA), is urging residents to support businesses and services in their community.
“We all have to support each other,” Korwin-Kuczynski says. ‘We have to work to keep all our businesses open and sound financially.”

The BIA says when you shop locally more money stays in our local economy and small businesses can grow or create more local jobs.

Residents can also shrink their carbon footprint by supporting local merchants and spending less time on the road. And, who knows, your customers may find something different or unique than at a big box store.